Unexpected Sandstorms
by sasoxsaki
Summary: "It's over." He said his voice dripping venom. "No its not over. Not yet." With that she fell in a heap. "Sakura!" He called but it was too late...


Saki- Hey everyone! I'm here with my friend Jermaine! We are writing a story together!

Jermaine- Hey everyone!

Saki- So would you care to do the honors?

Jermaine- Saki Sensei and I DO NOT own Naruto…which sucks balls.

Chapter 1

We're Going Where?

"Granny Tsunade! Granny Tsunade!" Naruto yelled, blasting through the door with a limp, pink haired kunoichi.

"What? Naruto, you don't have to barge through my door yelling!" The Hokage yelled at the blonde. Naruto cowered a bit at Tsunade's yelling.

"Sorry... But I do have Sakura-chan with me like you asked!" Naruto happily beamed.

"Wha- It's like six am! And I'm still sleepy Naruto!" Sakura screamed in Naruto's ear.

"Ow! You don't have to scream Sakura-chan!" Naruto whined. Tsunade just started rubbing her temples frustrated of the two arguing.

"Enough of this childish behavior!" Tsunade yelled startling the two. Naruto and Sakura immediately stopped the nonsense. "Anyway, it wasn't Naruto's fault for getting you. I wanted you because you, Naruto and some others are going to be on mission for a couple of months." She finished leaving the two pairs of eyes wide. Even Naruto didn't know that, he just got Sakura for Tsunade.

"Why?" Sakura exclaimed, with a hint of disappointment.

"Yeah, why?" Naruto also asked.

"Because, the Kazekage is in danger. It is our duty to help them and his siblings have requested guards and the only people they have deemed worthy are you two and whoever I send with you. He's been threatened by..." The Hokage stopped for a moment.

"Who?" Naruto asked anxiously waiting for the Hokage's answer. "By your old team mate from Team Seven... Uchiha Sasuke." As she finished, Sakura's emerald eyes began to water.

"Sasuke?" Naruto looked at her with concern and then back to Tsunade his blue eyes full of anger and pure hatred.

"Don't worry Tsunade we'll protect Gaara! If that bastard gets anywhere near him I'll beat him and bring him back to Konoha I promise!" Sakura looked at Tsunade and wiped away her tears. She was over Sasuke she knew she was but it still hurt her knowing he was still out there doing things like this that were so horrible to even think about. Abandoning his village and Team Seven was bad enough, especially when he joined Orochimaru, but threatening an acquaintance of hers and a friend of Naruto's? That was going much too far. Especially when it was the Kazekage. Sakura nodded and turned to Naruto putting her hand on his shoulder.

"Naruto we can do this. Sasuke chose to leave us and I promise I will not hold back if I encounter him. I am not getting distracted by anything." Tsunade nodded looking at her student and seeing how much she really had changed.

"You'll leave tomorrow. Meet at the gates by seven with your things. Remember this is a long mission. Sakura I have arranged for your house to be looked after as usual when you are gone. Temari and Kankuro have set up rooms for you to be staying in while you are in Suna. I wish you luck." Sakura nodded bowing slightly before leaving with an energetic Naruto. She looked at her blonde team mate with a slightly scrutinizing gaze.

"Naruto are you really ready for this? I mean Sasuke was your friend." She was cut off from saying anything else as Naruto's gaze turned to her his eyes full of a surprising amount of power as well as hatred.

"He's not my friend anymore Sakura. He severed that bond when he left Konoha. He is still my team mate though and I refuse to think that all of the good is gone from him. If we get him back to Konoha he might change." Sakura saw his eyes soften and looked at Naruto realizing that what he said was true. Sasuke was no longer their friend but he was their lost team mate and Naruto wanted to at least keep that bond alive if he could. Sakura nodded and Naruto looked at her his eyes full of compassion and some sort of sympathy. "Are you sure you can go on this mission Sakura?" Sakura looked at him with a fire in her eyes that surprised the blonde.

"Naruto I agree with you. Sasuke is not my friend but he is my lost team mate. I want him to come back even if he can't be changed and hates us completely. Even if he has to be kept under lock and key forever I want him to at least be in Konoha and away from Orochimaru. Then at least he won't be hurting people or threatening our friends." Naruto smiled at her and nodded before putting his arms behind his head as they walked out of the Hokage tower into the morning air.

"Hey Sakura-chan do you want to go grab some ramen for breakfast with me? It'll be my treat!" Naruto said grinning at her. Sakura rolled her eyes at how unhealthy it was to eat ramen for breakfast but she had an apple in her bag that she could eat afterwards so it might not be so bad. Naruto _was _treating her after all.

"Sure Naruto let's go." She said to his great surprise and happiness. He looked at her his blue eyes full of mirth and absolute joy.

"You mean it? Yes! Come on Sakura-chan let's go Ichiraku's awaits!" He beamed grabbing her hand and pulling her down the street. She shook her head and growled slightly.

_"Naruto you are such a baka sometimes!"_ She thought as she was pulled along through the sleepy, and deserted, streets of Konoha in the early morning light. As Naruto and Sakura left to get some ramen, Sakura asked Naruto something. "Naruto, do you think that Sasuke will be the same when we meet him?" Naruto looked at her with a funny expression on his face as if testing if she was joking or not. When he saw she wasn't he scowled a little.

"Pft, No! That bastard left us for his own greed! Kakashi and almost everyone helped Sasuke to get stronger but no! That greedy ass bastard wouldn't take our help and wanted more power! Sakura, we're like 21! He's not your lovey-dovey Sasuke you know that as well as anyone! He changed when he left with Orochimaru... he's not the same Sasuke we used to know." Sakura's emerald eyes went wide, because of how Naruto spoke it was so mature! Sakura nodded and agreed with Naruto. He smiled regaining his happy demeanor as he stepped under the banner to Ichiraku's greeting Teuchi as he sat down next to Sakura.

"So Naruto what'll it be?" Teuchi said with a smile as Naruto thought for a moment.

"Hmm... What should I get?" Naruto pondered. "Ooh! I know now! I'll have two bowls of pork ramen and one bowl of Miso!" Naruto ordered.

"Sure thing Naruto! And what about you Miss Sakura?" Teuchi asked.

"Oh, I'll just have a vegetarian ramen." Sakura answered. Teuchi nodded and left to cook their orders. "So Naruto, who do you think will be with us at the trip to Suna?" The pink haired kunoichi asked.

"I dunno. Granny Tsunade didn't say." Naruto replied.

"Alright here's your ramen Naruto and yours as well Miss Sakura!" Teuchi gave them a smile as he handed them their orders. Naruto's blue eyes widen and jumped to get his ramen.

"That Baka..." Sakura muttered under her breath as she took her ramen. After Naruto paid for the meals, he happily sat back down to enjoy his meal with Sakura.

"So Sakura!" Naruto slurped Sakura cut him off as he looked at her with a noodle haning out of his mouth.

"Naruto! Don't talk to me with your mouth opened wide with food!" Sakura reminded him.

"Oops. Sorry Sakura-chan!" He said happily. Sakura just shook her head.

"What is it Naruto?" She asked as he slurped up the noodle and swallowed.

"Well, I was wondering if our other friends are coming! It'll be better if Kakashi-sensei is coming too!" Naruto said as he finished his second bowl of pork ramen.

"Why would Kakashi-sensei come? He's always late and he'll just postpone the mission." Sakura reminded him. Just telling him that reminded herself of that first attempt of getting those stupid bells. Sasuke and her were trying hard just to find Kakashi as Naruto stumbled around yelling about how he was going to get the bells. She chuckled to herself when she remembered of how Naruto was so close getting the bells but never quite could. Naruto looked at her quizzically but shook his head.

"Well, Sakura!" He said while yawning and stretching. "I'm off packing for our mission tomorrow. And I might stop by Granny Tsunade about who might be coming with us. Oh and thanks for the company too!" He finished and rubbed his stomach.

"Bye Baka!" She yelled after the blonde. He grinned and waved to her before walking away. She smiled as he left. "I hope Sasuke won't attack before we get there. Why would he do that anyways? What can he possibly gain from attacking Gaara?" She whispered to herself as she walked away from the Ichiraku ramen stand. She wasn't going to let Sasuke get anywhere near Gaara. She had never failed a mission where she had to guard someone and she definitely didn't plan on making this her first. As she turned down the street where her house was she couldn't help but wonder how anyone could ever become power hungry to the point that they wanted to take over a village. She certainly couldn't imagine feeling like that. She sighed trying not to think about it as she walked into her house opening the door and taking off her shoes before heading upstairs to her room. She opened the window to let the warm breeze into the room as she pulled out a bag stuffing it with clothing and weapons before sealing it in a scroll which she placed in her backpack. She also grabbed a scroll full of extra kunais and shurikens making sure she stowed that in her backpack along with the kunai and shurikens that were already in there. After grabbing her usual pouch and kunai holder she made sure she had enough food for the journey to Suna. Finally after making sure she had everything she needed she went and took a much needed shower to calm her nerves. Sakura's mind wandered as she soaked in the hot water letting it wash away her stress as usual. She got out of her shower and dried off with a towel putting her pink hair up into a pony-tail before walking into her bedroom. She dressed quickly opting for sweatpants and a tee shirt as she walked downstairs to relax for the rest of the day. It was still early only around twelve but she was already hungry. She ate a quick lunch of a plain sandwich with a small salad before plopping down on her couch to watch a show of hers that's season was ending. She was so engrossed in her show that she didn't notice the letter slipped under her door. A few minutes later the doorbell rang. She groaned and stood up to get it.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto's loud voice made her cringe as she let him in.

"Naruto you almost broke my eardrum! Ugh never mind why are you here?" She asked looking at him quizzically.

"Well I found out that Sai is coming on our trip with us." Naruto looked at her cringing already waiting for the moment it would sink in. _"_One, two, three…"

"WHAT! WHY HIM!" She screamed making Naruto fall off of the stool he was perched on in her kitchen.

"Hey Sakura-chan take it easy! Granny Tsunade said he's coming along since he's part of our base team. He's not completely bad! Really! You just have to look past the…well the Sai-ness." He said and Sakura rolled her eyes still fuming.

"Alright I see why he has to come but I want to know what I ever did to deserve someone like him on our team. Don't get me wrong I like Sai I really do he can just be so, aggravating!" She said with a huff making Naruto sigh with relief. Thankfully she didn't direct her anger at him. He almost felt sorry for Sai, he was going to have to deal with Sakura's wrath if he did anything wrong and they both knew what that felt like.

"Well I'd better get going Sakura-chan I'll see you tomorrow!" He waved and rushed out of her house just in case she decided to blow her top. Sakura sighed and sunk into the couch in her living room.

_"How am I going to deal with both of them for a few months!" _She blew air out of her mouth in a loud huff before standing up and shuffling to the kitchen. She needed to blow off some steam and attacking vegetable and herbs to make into soldier pills seemed like the best way to. She grabbed the nearest vegetable and washed it vigorously before chopping it into tiny pieces to put into her mix. She made a ton of the pills before putting them into the food scroll she had in her backpack. What she would do without scrolls she had no idea. After a day of lying around and cleaning up her house for when she left she made a quick dinner eating it and trying to forget about the mission the next day. She went to bed early determined to get some much needed sleep. She found she couldn't no matter how hard she tried and ended up having to take a sleeping pill she made that would just make her get to sleep but would not make her drowsy the next morning. Well more than usual. She soon found herself slipping into a nice sleep.

"BEEP BEEP BEEP!" The alarm clock practically screamed at the kunoichi sleeping in the bed next to it.

"Ugh..." Sakura groaned rolling over and turning off the offending alarm clock that was blaring in her ear. "I can't believe today's the mission." She muttered to herself. As she looked at the clock she saw it was 5:25 am. "I don't want to get up... Too tired..." She complained to herself. After much grumbling at her second alarm clock going off a few minutes later she got up and went straight to her bathroom. As she went to her bathroom, she ended up tripping over… Naruto? "BAKA! What the hell are you doing inside my home! IN MY BEDROOM NO LESS!" She yelled with frustration at the blonde.

"Sakura-chan... quit yelling the door's open…" The blonde muttered in his sleep.

Sakura was fuming as she glared at the annoying blonde drooling on her rug. "I swear Naruto, if you don't get your lazy ass off my floor and given me a pretty fucking good explanation as to how you got in my house and WHY you are here... I will beat your ass so hard your grandkids will feel it!" She yelled again. As Naruto heard that, he woke up and jumped off the floor really quickly.

"Okay! I'm up, I'm up! Geez!" He quickly said. "I'm here in the first place because Granny Tsunade wanted you to get up sooner... I think... I dunno." He lied.

"Liar!" Sakura yelled as she smacked the back of his head. She would have done a lot more but she didn't want to damage her house.

"Dammit! Ouch, Sakura-chan!" He complained.

"Well, you shouldn't lie to me in the first place! Baka!" She told him with a smirk.

"Well, honestly... I just wanted to stay here before we leave today. I just didn't want to stay at home on our last day here." Naruto said with a cheeky smile. Sakura looked at him skeptically.

"So you slept on the floor of my bedroom? What the hell Naruto you have an apartment you know you don't have to stay at my house."

"Yeah well you really shouldn't leave your door unlocked Sakura-chan I came over to see if you were up and if I could stay here but you were asleep and your door was unlocked." Sakura rolled her eyes, "Whatever, food's in the kitchen make yourself breakfast. I'm going to take a shower." Before she left to shower she kicked Naruto's shin just for good measure.

"Ouch! Really Sakura-chan?" He complained to her. She didn't say anything as she gave him a smirk for an answer. She went inside her bathroom and locked the door not completely trusting her blonde team mate not to peek. She looked into the mirror and saw that her hair was not as messy as she expected nor were there bags under her eyes indicating she got enough sleep the night before. She shrugged her shoulders as she turned on the shower and swiftly took off her clothes. After testing the water she stepped in grabbing the soap. She hummed to herself as she was washing her hair. As she was shampooing her hair, some of the soap went to her eye.

"Ow! Shit, that burns!" She yelped. As she yelped, Naruto chuckled and she heard him meaning that he was still outside her bathroom door. "Shut up Baka! And get away from my door! Pervert..." She muttered the last part to herself. She finished washing herself and shampooing stepping out before finally brushing her teeth. She finished brushing her teeth then she wrapped a white fluffy towel around her body. She had another towel to dry her hair, finishing drying her hair as she was combing it. Her hair was still short but it was nice and complimented her face nicely. She finished combing her pink silky hair, and she started dressing herself. She turned her neck around to check the time as she stepped into her bedroom. It was 6:30! She had to hurry now! She finished fixing herself, tied her head band, rushed out of the bathroom, slipped on her sandals, grabbed her stuff, and started making a quick breakfast for herself.

"So Sakura-chan! How's it going?" Naruto sarcastically said. Sakura didn't say anything but chucked a chopstick at him which he dodged as it lodged itself in the cork board hanging on the wall behind him. He chuckled, "Oooh... Sakura you missed!"

"Whatever Baka..." she muttered. She finished making her breakfast and sat down to eat it as Naruto started on his. She looked at the clock and saw it was 6:50! "Oh my God! We're going to be late! Hurry!" She gobbled up her food, dropped the bowl in the sink and tugged Naruto's shirt.

"Aagh! Saku-" He was cut off by Sakura choking him by his shirt as she drug him out of the room.

"No time Baka!" She rushed. They made sure they had all of their stuff and blasted through the door. They were running as fast as they can to the gates to meet Sai. "We... Made it on time..." Sakura huffed.

"Mmm... Not really. It's 7:01." Sai said plainly. Sakura rolled her eyes at his response. She was not looking forward to dealing with Sai. She was arguing with Naruto as he complained about not getting to finish his breakfast when Tsunade walked up to the group.

"Everybody shush! I'm here to tell you the objectives of the mission. First of all I know that I told you that you will be protecting the Kazekage from Uchiha Sasuke but that is only half. The other part is to apprehend Uchiha Sasuke and bring him back to Konoha. If he attempts an assassination you are to kill him on sight. I would prefer him alive so Ibiki can get information from him but I will be just as happy if he isn't. I don't know when you guys should be back. It could take weeks, months, or even years to catch Uchiha Sasuke. I wish you guys the best of luck. You'll be helping Konoha, Suna, me, and the Kazekage. Good luck guys." Sakura nodded to her Shishou and Naruto gave her a thumbs up.

"You can count on us Granny Tsunade! That bastard will be brought back to Konoha!" She looked at the blonde and nodded as they all walked away with Sakura already telling them what to do. They got to the end of the bridge before rushing down the path.

"Tsunade-sama, do you think that they can actually protect the Kazekage of Suna and kill Uchiha Sasuke?" Shizune asked the Hokage from behind.

"I believe in them Shizune... I actually do." She told her solemnly. They turned and watched as the three ninjas disappeared into the trees. "I believe in you don't fail me." She said as Shizune turned to her and they walked away.

END OF CHAPTER 1! Reviews for Jermaine and I! Read A Snowy Love and Plants, Poison, Pain, and Love if you like this or even if you don't! THANKS!


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